426 BULLETIN OF THE UNITED STATES FISH COMMISSION. 
region east of Machias is practically out of the question, and the limited 
quantity which might be obtained by special exertion would cost more i 
in time or money than any fisherman could afford. 
But, even if the question of cost was not considered, it is doubtful if 
enough of this bait could be dug' in Canadian territory to supply more 
than one-tenth of the provincial vessels which use it. 
The reasons for the use of salt clams for bait are substantially as fol- 
lows: 
First, and possibly the principal reason, is that, considering the re- 
sults obtained, the method of hand-line dory fishing and the use of salt- 
clam bait has been found the most economical method, both as regards 
the cost of outfit and the utilization of time. 
To particularize: A vessel fitting for a hand-line cod-fishing trip to 
the eastern banks will carry one small dory (usually 13 feet long on the 
bottom) for each member of its crew, exclusive of the captain and cook. 
Thus a schoouer having fourteen men in her crew will carry twelve 
dories. These will cost, including oars, etc., about $22 each, or a total 
of $261. The hand-lines are comparatively inexpensive, and the whole 
outfit of boats and lines would not much exceed $350. 
The expense for bait (say 50 barrels of clams, at $5 to $6 per barrel) 
will vary from $250 to $300, and may possibly exceed that amount in 
some cases, though it is likely to fall below it. 
To fit a vessel for trawling (the only other method pursued in the so- 
called bank cod fishery) will cost from $1,000 to $1,300 for boats and 
other apparatus, while the expense for fresh bait is generally much 
greater than that incurred by a schooner of the same size employed in 
hand-line fishing. 
It will thus be seen that from $700 to $1,000 are saved in the outfit of 
a dory hand-liner as compared with the trawler. And it is easy to see, 
also, that if the former gets the same amount of fish, which is often the 
case, the profits of the voyage will be that much greater. 
It is an important consideration that the use of salt clams prevents 
the fishermen from losing any time in looking after supplies of bait, since 
all that is needed for the voyage is carried on board, and it is so well 
preserved that it will not deteriorate. When “ baitings” of fresh her- 
ring, squid, or capelin must be obtained, much time is often lost in 
waiting for these species to “strike in” near the harbors where the ves- 
sels go to seek them. It is not uncommon for vessels which depend 
solely on getting supplies of fresh bait near the land to spend more time 
in quest of it than they do in fishing on the banks. 
This being the case, it follows that though the daily catch of a vessel 
using salt clams may be somewhat less than that of one having fresh 
bait (while both are fishing together), the monthly catch of the former 
might still be the largest. 
It will thus be seen that both time and money are saved by the 
method of dory hand-line fishing. It would take too long to show here 
